Palladium Melt Value Calculator

Palladium is a platinum group metal that has become increasingly valuable due to its critical role in automotive emissions control. Unlike gold and silver, which are widely found in jewelry and coins, palladium scrap comes primarily from industrial and automotive sources. Understanding where palladium is found can help you identify items worth scrapping.

Catalytic converters are by far the largest source of scrap palladium. Modern gasoline-powered vehicles use palladium (rather than platinum) as the primary catalyst to convert harmful exhaust gases into less toxic emissions. A single catalytic converter can contain 2–7 grams of palladium, worth $50–$200 or more at current prices. Larger trucks and vehicles meeting stricter emissions standards tend to have higher palladium content. Note that catalytic converter theft is a serious crime — only sell converters that you legally own, and work with licensed recyclers who can verify ownership.

Electronic components contain small amounts of palladium. Multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCCs), found on circuit boards in smartphones, computers, and other electronics, use palladium in their electrode layers. Some electrical connectors and relay contacts also contain palladium. While individual components contain tiny amounts, large-scale e-waste recycling recovers significant quantities.

Dental alloys sometimes include palladium. Some dental crowns and bridges — particularly those made from "white gold" dental alloys — contain palladium along with gold, silver, and other metals. If you have old dental work being replaced, ask your dentist to return the old materials so you can have them assayed by a dental refiner.

Palladium jewelry is uncommon but exists. Palladium wedding bands and engagement ring settings became popular around 2004–2010 when platinum prices were very high and jewelers sought a cheaper, visually similar alternative. Palladium jewelry is typically .950 purity and is stamped "Pd" or "950 Pd." It's lightweight compared to platinum but has the same white color and hypoallergenic properties.

Palladium Pricing and Market

Palladium prices have been highly volatile in recent years, driven by automotive demand and supply constraints (most palladium comes from Russia and South Africa). The price per troy ounce has ranged from under $500 to over $3,000 within the past decade. Dealers typically pay 70–90% of melt value, with higher percentages for pure (.999) palladium bullion and lower percentages for mixed-alloy scrap requiring refining.

For gold and silver calculations, use our scrap gold calculator or scrap silver calculator. You can also calculate platinum melt values with our dedicated tool. Return to the melt value calculator homepage for all metals.